Art Green and Edna Swart are looking forward to island life.
Art Green and Edna Swart are looking forward to island life.
New Zealand's original The Bachelor, Art Green; former Black Fern and Sevens captain, Huriana Manuel; BossBabe Edna Swart and former NRL stars Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck and Richie Barnett are the last five stars to be joining the 20-strong cast of Celebrity Treasure Island.
Other contestants fighting it out for their favouritecharities and named this week include Angela Bloomfield, Kim Crossman, Tammy Davis, JJ Fong, Chris Parker, Sir Wayne "Buck" Shelford, Anna Simcic, Brynley Stent, Candy Lane, Casey Frank, Jess Tyson, Joe Daymond, Joe Naufahu, Lana Searle and Tegan Yorwarth.
Green's hit a trifecta of TVNZ shows since hosting a season each of The Bachelorette and The Bachelor since late last year and was keen on heading up to a secluded Northland beach to try his luck at survival and tribal action.
"I wanted to be part of Celebrity Treasure Island for the challenge. I watched last season and I thought it looked like a lot of fun. So, I thought I'd give it a go," says Green who recently welcomed his second child, Autumn.
Green says Crossman is the one he watched out for - describing her as smart and very unassuming. He was glad fellow fitness buff Naufahu was on the same team as him, saying he is a threat and a target.
Viewers who know Swart from TVNZ OnDemand's BossBabes will be surprised to know the glamourous businesswoman has always dreamed of being a part of a show like Celebrity Treasure Island.
She's living the socialite life in Auckland now, but Swart grew up with a passion for adventure and the outdoors and excelled in athletics.
Richie Barnett, Huriana Manuel and Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck are shipping out to the island.
As for the remaining three sports' stars Manuel, Tuivasa-Sheck and Barnett, it's no surprise all three will be as competitive on the show as they were on the field. Manuel says she didn't go on the show for a holiday and saw Shelford as the competitor to watch.
"I've worked with Buck before and he's a legend in rugby and very well-respected, so going by how much I respect him he'd probably be my biggest competition, but I think that is coming from respect," she says.
Tuivasa-Sheck, brother of outgoing Warriors' skipper Roger, is already a fan of Green and sees him as real competition and has given him a nickname.
"Art is like the Bear Grylls of New Zealand, so he is up there for me. He already has the body. He's going to be 'Mr Nature Boy'," he says.
Barnett is in it to win it and says he loves challenges. He was keen to test himself under pressure and has a smart strategy for the game from the outset.
"I place myself in the middle. Try not to be overbearing as a leader and try to not know everything. Just sort of fitting in that middle tier. Being supportive – try to lead, try to support. That's what I like to do naturally, and I want to stay in my comfort zone," he says.
